Mesh link construction



Dec. 27, 1949 G. M. MURAY MESH LINK CONSTRUCTION s Sheets-Shet 1 FiledApril 12, 1946 mm EEZZQEEMMM 2 1949 e. M. MURAY MESH LINK CONSTRUCTION 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1.946

/7 /7 i] 1% W1 F Dec. 27, 1949 G. M. MURAY MESH LINK CONSTRUCTION 3Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed April 12, 1946 v flYVI/YTJE 555E175 MAID/FAYPatented Dec. 27, 1949 22.33:

MESH LINK CONSTRUCTION George M. Muray, Hudson Heights, N. J assignor toDaniel Smilo and Sons, Inc., New York,

Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,584

1 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mesh linkbracelet or flexible plate.

More specifically, the present invention proposes the construction of aflexible wall or plate of the basket-weave type having a plurality ofinterconnected elements each rigid in itself but so connected that thewall can bend freely and will therefore be adapted for use in themanufacture of such articles as bracelets, pocketbooks, belts and thelike.

A further object is to provide a'plate as aforesaid in which each of theelements is formed of a flat sheet of metal bent into shape to providealternate channels, each channel being opposite a space and adjacentchannels being inverted, each of the channels having a flat bottom, oneflat leg at right angles thereto, and a tubular leg.

Another object is to provide a'plate as aforesaid in which the tubularlegs are semi-cylindrical in cross section.

A further object is to provide a plate as aforesaid in which the tubularlegs each have a flat exterior face.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a plan view of one type of metal blank from which the elementsof the plate of the present invention are formed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a partially formed element.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a partially formed plate.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of a plate.

Fig. 5 is a greatly magnified end view illustrating the assembly of theparts of the device.

Fig. 6 is a side view diagrammatically illustrating another embodimentof the invention.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form ofblank.

Fig. -8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing a blank having a reinforcedrib in the center strip thereof.

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of a fragment of a mesh part showing apanel embossed therein.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9.

The blank I 0, shown in Fig. 1 is preferably stamped from a fiat sheetof a suitable metal. It has a-central connecting rib II and tabs I2extending from opposite sides thereof in alter- 1 Claim. (01. 59-80)nating fashion so that each tab is in line with a space at the oppositeside of the rib. The blank can be as long as desired. It is shownrelatively small, having three tabs at one side and four at the other.

The blank is then bent along the dotted lines a providing a backbone I3or center strip having alternate tongues I l and grooves I5, along eachof its sides, the tongues being formed of portions of the tabs I2 andthe grooves being formed by the spaces between these portions. The tabsare then arranged in two spaced parallel and opposite rows. The ends ofthe tabs are then bent into a tube l6, each tube having a flat side faceII op-- posite to its portion of the backbone, a flat outer face I8which is part of the tab I2 and an inwardly curled terminal end or faceI9.

It will be seen then that each element at any cross section along itslength is channel shaped, but as the tabsralternate, so the channelswill alternate, one opening upwardly and the next downwardly. Eachchannel has one straight flat leg formed by portions of the backboneI3..and adjacent tongue I4, a bottom formed by the unbent portion of thetab I2, and another leg formed by the fiat side face II opposite thefirst mentioned leg, this other leg being generally tubular because ofthe curved end thereof.

The elements are adapted to be interconnected without the employment ofany other parts, and

when so interconnected will present fiat top and,

bottom faces. Furthermore, the plate so formed will be able to flex dueto the flexible interfitting of the elements.

The plate is formed by disposing rows of 918-.- ments adjacent eachother, that is, substantially in contact, and similarly disposed so thattheir backbones are all at corresponding sides. These elements sodisposed will be interconnected by other similar elements but turnedupside down:

with their bottom faces down and their backbones at the right. The topelements are all disposed with their bottom faces up and their backbonesat the right.

The manner in which the elements interlock so that they can not becomeseparated is quite unique. The first element is closed, that is, the

bottoms of the channels are pressed down into parallel planes, but theother elements to .-b e

3 connected thereto are left with their channel bottoms diverging asshown in Fig. 2.

The second element is then taken and turned end for end relative to thefirst element, still maintaining the backbone at the right, however,thus its top channels will be in line with the top spaces of the firstelement and its bottom channels will be in line with theybottom spacesof the first element. The two elements are then moved together and thechannel bottoms of the second element are pressed into parallelism. The

third element is then connected to the second element in the same mannerexcept that it will be disposed similarly to the first element. Thiswill be continued until a plate of the desired length has been formed.

The flexible character of the plate is independent of the thickness ofthe material used and in the finished plate, the two opposite surfacesthereof are substantially fully closed (solid) except for the cracksbetween adjacent portions. The curls permit positive proportional linklong-theoritrol which is important as for example in the construction ofa bracelet. Also there is positive link proportional overall thicknesscontrol. metal employed in the present construction may be thin.Nevertheless, the construction plate may be of any desired thickness.

The'outside surfaces of the plate are independent of the insideconstruction. That is, it may be made concave, convex,.sharp, square andso on. The units may be decorated with holes if desired, and each could.be made with longer and shorter tube-like effect without impairing theautomatic locking characteristics. The units lock themselves againstopening. Both sides of the plate may be made to look alike or they maybe made to look difierent because of the positive location of the links.

In Fig. 4 the tubular legs which have'portions visible from the top aremarked with a large A for clarity.

The constructionin Fig.5 difiers from the con ing the units of the firstembodiment at thebot tom and the units of the second embodiment at thetop. Thus the surface of the bottom is flat withsharp corners ofadjacent parts of adjacent units, whereas the top surface hasrounde'dco'r-- ners of adjacent parts of adjacent units. plateis moreflexible in one direction than inanother and ofiers the advantage thateither may.

be turned up. No description. of this plate is deemed necessary, but foreasier closing the tubular legs may be bevelled and the parts of the topunit will be indicated bynumerals used for cor-. responding parts of theembodiment of Figs. 1-4

but with the letter a suffixed, and the same ap-. plied to the bottomunits but with the sufiix b.

In the form of the invention shown in .Figs. 7". and 8, the center stripis flanked by alter-" nately staggered tabs 26 spaced as at 27 andarranged to be folded on the dotted lines 28. The ends of the tabs 26are rolled or formed in 'semi-' cylindrical tubular shape in accordancewith the forms of the inventionabove described. The op This 4 positeside edges of the tabs may be cut out as at 29 for easing the assemblyof desired plate, or they may be provided with rectangular or otherornamental shaped openings as at 30 in Fig. 8. As shown in Figs. 9 and10, the tabs may be embossed as at 3| for strengthening and ornamentingthe blank. In all or any of the forms of the invention, the center strip25-may 'be embossed to provide a reinforcing rib as at 32, and the endtabs may be formed to provide end ears 33 through the medium of whichthe ends of the units may be closed so that the interior constructionmay be concealed and the edges of the device given a finished-closedappearance.

It is evident therefore, that I have provided a ring bracelet orflexible plate in which control of the length of the ring may begoverned by the amount of curl, which also controls the thickness of thedevice. The thickness of the material is of no consequence as thematerial lends itself to varied formation if used in jewelry or alliedlines.

The outside surface shape may be independentoff the inside surface shapeand the parts maybe made in one or more colors and reinforced by a beadso that the ring construction can be used in any kind of a chainor'bracelet or ring "or ornament with the side edges closed to concealthe construction if desired. Also the individual rings While I haveillustrated and'described the preferred embodiments of my invention, itis tobe understood that I do not limit myself'to the "preciseconstructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to'all changesand modifications comingwithin the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claim.

Having thus described my invention. what'I' claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent "is:

A mesh link construction, comprising aser'ie s,

of link members, each member having a long-ithe arms being ofequalwidths, the arms on one side of the spline being staggered withreference to the arms on the opposite side thereof, the arms beingdisposed in parallel relation at approxi mately right angles to thespline, the outer ends of the arms being formed with tubular flanges;said tubular flanges being disposed in a common:

longitudinal splane, each link member being a substantial duplicate ofevery other link memberl-s the link members being arranged in matchingpairs, with the tubular flanges of the arms ofbne;

link member being disposed between the arms 'of the opposing linkmember, in overlapping relation by the bodies of said arms.

GEORGE'M. MUR-AY.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date" scmenmger' y-1 3,194?"

